I joined Pigg back near when it started and am very intrigued by this discussion. I grew up in Alameda County (bay area) and lived in downtown and SE SD from ’79 to ’92 and Bonita and CV since then. Bonita and CV are fantastic places to live and raise a family.
The best zips are:
91902: zoned 3 or less units per acre; only one rental complex in area with 32,000 pop.; 90% SFR; 3 public elem. schools (all good); Feeds into Bonita Vista Middle and High Schools in CV, both good; CV Golf Course to walk/run around (3.3 mi.); 14-16 miles to downtown SD; assessment rate of .098 + extermination fee and sewer fee; avg. house age is about 35 years old.
91910: many properties bet. I-805 to just east of 2nd Ave. are 1/4, 1/3 and 1/2 acre lots; walkable community with mature tree easement between wide sidewalk and street in inc. areas; excellent construction with raised foundation in many homes; 9-11 miles to downtown SD; several good elem. schools; feeds into Hilltop middle/high AND CV middle/high, both good; assessnent rate is .11; avg house age is 60 years old.
I have kids and even if I had the money, I would not pay $9000+ a year (1st kid) to send my kids to Mater Dei (Catholic) HS. Why would anyone do that when the public schools are preparing these kids for college through the IB program and AP classes? If you knew what these kids had to do to graduate HS these days, you’d be shocked!
Scarlett, you started this thread but appear not to be too familiar with SD County. Central CV (NOT the neighborhoods that have been previously mentioned on this thread) and Bonita do NOT have MR (props. assessed at roughly 2.7% of value) and there is HOA in very few communities in these two areas (for the most part, annual dues only). 91902/91910 are 40-45 mins. from Sorrento Valley. Otay Ranch Mall (“Windingwalk” like you mentioned earlier) is 10-12 more miles SE. All of these “newer” areas are annexed zip codes to CV. The lots there avg. 3500-4000 SF and all those units are subject to MR and HOA, adding $700+ a month to the costs. In addition, Otay Ranch currently has an extremely high foreclosure rate, some streets having more than 8-10 bank-owned vacant “shadow inventory” just sitting.
I have been a RE licensee since 1984 and have seen A LOT of stuff in my day. I’ve also owned several homes in SD County. Coastal zone property has historically held its value while inland property has been subject to great fluctuations. I agree that property prices are currently flat and after 4/30 (when the tax incentive is gone), I believe much more inventory will be dumped on the market.
If I were you, I would NOT commute at all. Life can be short. DO NOT DISCOUNT SIZE AND AGE! These things are NOT important in this county and have NOTHING do with value. LOCATION is the only thing that is important. Listen to the posters here and look at 30+ year-old homes in UC and 40+ year-old homes in Clairemont (92111/92117). Take Genessee or Governor Dr. to work. You can remodel little by little. Your kids don’t need gigantic rooms. There are many large lots and canyon lots in these areas. SDUSD has zone transfers and magnet programs available. Standley Middle and UC High are great schools. Other great HS’s in SD are Pt. Loma, Henry, Scripps Ranch and La Jolla. There are many noteable elem. schools.
‘Nuff said. Don’t get wrapped up in new construction hoopla. There aren’t any comps to support the inflated prices the developers are asking.
